As an out of towner who uses Castro Street for a half way central meeting place with others coming from Sunnyvale on a frequent basis, the availability of parking for lunch time and dinner time is very important to us. For business meetings where we carpool from Palo Alto with others who carpool from Sunnyvale and have a reasonable but limited time for our lunchtime or dinnertime meetings, it is not feasible to ride bikes or use Caltrain for such meetings. If we can't park, we will definitely have to use another location.

Parking is at a premium near Castro Street. Local residents may enjoy a stroll for an evening or weekend meal in one of the many agreeable Castro watering holes. But are these the only patrons the watering holes wish to serve? I doubt it. I imagine that business trade from those who need to arrive by car from destinations approximately 5 miles or even more are the bread and butter patrons that keep them in business.

I doubt if these bread and butter, business patrons, would object to paying for parking if they can be guaranteed a spot before entering a garage or lot in the first place they try with the aid of modern technological signage and payment methods. The point is looking at the demographics of those who frequent Castro Street and making it easier for us to park rather than trying to get rid of easy ability to park.

@PA Resident

You failed to mention that you don't have lunch in Palo Alto because finding parking there is an absolute nightmare--armageddon in fact--with the Palo Alto's downtown parking permit program.

@Observer.

I agree with your assessment of PA's parking permit problem. The colored coded parking, the permit system, it's crazy. Too much of a hassle just to grab lunch.

At least parking enforcement there has more tools at their disposal besides a chalk stick.

The 2nd reading of the RPP ordinance is tonight at City Hall. Mountain View may soon have their very own Parking Armageddon. Unless you have a really big basket on your bike, shopping at Ava's or mailing a package at the Post Office will become very trying. Folks today are circling the post office at noon looking for a spot. Sometimes they get lucky on View Street, sometimes not. With 120 potential permits coming to a single block on View Street, the future of parking for visitors looks bleak. Not many folks want to Uber in for groceries or make a stop at the post office.